We all started talking about "Sue Gardner for President 2016" on IRC today. I'd vote for her...
Sent from my iPhone On 28/03/2013, at 6:35 PM, Isarra Yos <zhoris...@gmail.com> wrote: > It's odd, but I think I'm glad - not so much that you're leaving, but where > you're going, what you intend to do... somehow I find that comforting... > > On 27/03/13 22:00, Sue Gardner wrote: >> Hello Wikimedia community members, >> >> This is not an easy e-mail to write, and it’s been a very hard >> decision to make. But I’m writing to tell you that I’m planning to >> leave my position as the Executive Director of the Wikimedia >> Foundation. >> >> My departure isn’t imminent -- the Board and I anticipate it’ll take >> at least six months to recruit my successor, and I’ll be fully engaged >> as Executive Director all through the recruitment process and until we >> have a new person in place. We’re expecting that’ll take about six >> months or so, and so this note is not goodbye -- not yet. >> >> Making the decision to leave hasn’t been easy, but it comes down to two >> things. >> >> First, the movement and the Wikimedia Foundation are in a strong place >> now. When I joined, the Foundation was tiny and not yet able to >> reliably support the projects. Today it's healthy, thriving, and a >> competent partner to the global network of Wikimedia volunteers. If >> that wasn’t the case, I wouldn’t feel okay to leave. In that sense, my >> leaving is a vote of confidence in our Board and executive team and >> staff --- I know they will ably steer the Foundation through the years >> ahead, and I’m confident the Board will appoint a strong successor to >> me. >> >> And I feel that although we’re in good shape, with a promising future, >> the same isn’t true for the internet itself. (This is thing number >> two.) Increasingly, I’m finding myself uncomfortable about how the >> internet’s developing, who’s influencing its development, and who is >> not. Last year we at Wikimedia raised an alarm about SOPA/PIPA, and >> now CISPA is back. Wikipedia has experienced censorship at the hands >> of industry groups and governments, and we’re --increasingly, I >> think-- seeing important decisions made by unaccountable >> non-transparent corporate players, a shift from the open web to mobile >> walled gardens, and a shift from the production-based internet to one >> that’s consumption-based. There are many organizations and individuals >> advocating for the public interest online -- what’s good for ordinary >> people -- but other interests are more numerous and powerful than they >> are. I want that to change. And that’s what I want to do next. >> >> I’ve always aimed to make the biggest contribution I can to the >> general public good. Today, this is pulling me towards a new and >> different role, one very much aligned with Wikimedia values and >> informed by my experiences here, and with the purpose of amplifying >> the voices of people advocating for the free and open internet. I >> don’t know exactly what this will look like -- I might write a book, >> or start a non-profit, or work in partnership with something that >> already exists. Either way, I feel strongly that this is what I need >> to do. >> >> I feel an increasing sense of urgency around this. That said, I also >> feel a strong sense of responsibility (and love!) for the Wikimedia >> movement, and so I’ve agreed with the Board that I’ll stay on as >> Executive Director until we have my successor in place. That’ll take >> some time -- likely, at least six months. >> >> Until then, nothing changes. The Wikimedia Foundation has lots of work >> to do, and you can expect me to focus fully on it until we have a new >> Executive Director in place. >> >> I have many people to thank, but I’m not going to do it now -- >> there’ll be time for that later. For now, I’ll just say I love working >> with you all, I’m proud of everything the Wikimedia movement is >> accomplishing, and I’m looking forward to our next six months >> together. >> >> Jan-Bart’s going to write a note in a couple of minutes with >> information about the transition process. We’ll be hosting office >> hours this weekend as well, so anybody with questions can ask them >> here or turn up to talk with us on IRC. >> >> Thanks, >> Sue >> >> >> >> -- >> Sue Gardner >> Executive Director >> Wikimedia Foundation >> >> 415 839 6885 office >> 415 816 9967 cell >> >> Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in >> the sum of all knowledge. Help us make it a reality! >> >> https://donate.wikimedia.org/ >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Please note: all replies sent to this mailing list will be immediately >> directed to Wikimedia-l, the public mailing list of the Wikimedia community. >> For more information about Wikimedia-l: >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l >> _______________________________________________ >> WikimediaAnnounce-l mailing list >> wikimediaannounc...@lists.wikimedia.org >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaannounce-l >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimedia-l mailing list >> Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org >> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l > > > -- > -— Isarra > > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-l mailing list > Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l